An Indigenous friend told me her band always considers the impact their decisions might have on future generations. My grand-daughter is at the beginning of her life and I’m at the other end. I’ve been privileged to live all of my 75 years on this beautiful west coast. Nature has always inspired and nurtured me. I want the same for my grand- daughter and her generation, and beyond.
Political parties and their leaders come and go. Some leave a legacy, like the Islands Trust. I’ve voted Green federally, and NDP provincially because these two parties align best with my values. I know that in this election, the Green Party has no chance of being the BC government or the official Opposition. But the polls show that the Conservatives have a good chance of forming the next government in BC. And that concerns me.
There is not a word about caring for the environment in the Conservative platform. I’m supporting the NDP again because they have worked hard to make progress on health care, housing, and the environment. The Ancient Forest Alliance credits the NDP with making progress on protecting old growth forests while noting more needs to be done.
Sarah Riddell, the NDP candidate for our riding has an impressive track record. She was a key member of the Ministry of Health team that brought in a new payment model for family doctors that they had been asking for after many years of fruitless talks. My doctor told me, “The government finally listened to us.” She understands budgets from her work in the Auditor General’s office. She understands how local government works. She has spent ten years working on conservation projects. She’s been on the police board. She knows how to work well across jurisdictions. She has young children and knows the challenges of raising a family.
Sarah has a breadth and depth of experience that make her the best qualified candidate out of the three who are running. I believe in supporting young people like Sarah who are stepping up and making personal sacrifices to be an effective change- maker. In this time of crisis, we need people like Sarah who can work on teams and get things done.
For my 4 year old grand- daughter and her friends, parties are birthday parties. At her age, she lives joyfully in the present moment. I’m voting for her and her generation’s future. I’m voting for Sarah Riddell.
